False Expectations  by: Frances M. McCrory-Meservy

 

False expectations are the biggest cause of anger.

 

If you stop and think back on your life, you will realize that the times you were angry was when you expected something you did not receive.

 

Rarely is a broken promise the reason for false expectations. It does happen though and when it does we are supposed to forgive them. If we can't forgive them then we should ask God to forgive them through us/for us. Forgiveness erases anger instantly.

 

Most of our expectations are drawn by our own paradime of what should be and should not be. We don't base it on reality and therefore our own thinking is the root cause of our anger. The person we are angry with usually do not even know why we are angry. And it does not hurt them at all. It's our own private cancer that eats at our mental and physical health.

If you know someone is forgetful, do not expect them to remember. If you know someone is slow, do not expect them to hurry or be fast.

 

The ETA for a train, bus, taxi, ship or aircraft is past and you are in a hurry. Why did you expect it to be on time? We are late because of weather, mechanical difficulties, accidents and other things. Why do we expect everyone else to be on time?

If you know someone is a liar, do not expect them to tell the truth. Take what they say with a grain of salt and wait for the truth.

If you know someone who is on drugs, do not expect him/her to be honest. Drug addicts are controlled by the drugs they take and will lie, cheat and steal to get the money needed for the drugs. I don't care how much you love them, you can not trust them. Lock up your valuables.

 

If you know someone who is grumpy, do not expect them to be cheerful. Do not expect a negative person to be positive.

Slow to anger is when you start to get angry, you stop and evaluate why you are getting angry. Is it false expectations or a real reason. Even if it is a real reason, is there anything you can do about it? Will anger make it better? In the end we have to be quick to forgive for our own sake.

 

During the process of forgiving, Satan will whisper in your ear saying, "He hurt you. You have the right to be angry. It's better to get even." When those thoughts go through your head, realize they are not yours unless you dwell on them. When you mull those thoughts over in your head and stir up feelings, you have made them your thoughts.

 

Job 6:20 They are disappointed because they were confident;

 

Prov 15:18 A wrathful man stirs up strife, But he who is slow to anger allays contention.
 

Prov 16:32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
 

Prov 19:11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

 

Mat 6:12-15 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Luke 23:34 Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."
 

James 4:7-8 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.